West Georgia Technical College has received a $25,000 grant from Georgia Power for architectural design of facility upgrades for future expansion of the College’s Welding Lab at the Franklin site.

“We are thankful to Georgia Power and their ongoing support of West Georgia Tech, our mission and most importantly our students,” said Brittney Henderson, Executive Director of the WGTC Foundation.

The 3,000 square foot lab was reconstructed in 2011 to accommodate enrollment. Since that time, the program has grown substantially with student interest, signaling the need for more space.

A future expansion is necessary to add an additional 700 square feet to the space to include a new covered, outdoor area to be used for grinding and cutting. It will help the program to add an additional 36 students per semester to support the growing number of students in the Heard County School System’s dual enrollment program.

“This funding will allow us to begin the design process for the much-needed expansion that will enhance our welding program and help us to meet the needs of area industry for more highly skilled employees in the region,” said Henderson.

“Georgia Power is excited to partner with West Georgia Tech to provide educational resources in conjunction with the Heard County College and Career Academy. We think that this investment will enhance the students’ skills and provide greater opportunities as they enter the workforce upon graduation,” said Georgia Power Area Manager Patrick Harris.

The Welding and Joining Technology program is an associate’s degree program designed to prepare students for careers in the welding industry. Program learning opportunities help students to develop academic, technical, professional knowledge and skills required for job acquisition, retention and advancement. Graduates of this degree path find careers as oxyfuel cutters, shielded metal arc welders, automatic cutting machine operators or other related fields.

In addition to being offered at the Franklin Instructional Site, the program is also offered on the Carroll, Douglas and LaGrange campuses. Classes are also available at the Central Education Center Instructional Site in Newnan and the Greenville Instructional Site in Greenville. For more information on this program or other programs, visit westgatech.edu.